Tana Umaga's TEEM Talk

I catch up with Jonny after he's just landed on holiday outside of England, just got into his holiday home and he's made time to chat to me after 10 years.  I feel very honored!  (and also why our audio is not the best, sorry!)

Jonny lets us in on his thoughts on a lot of topics and what comes through is his passion and convictions for what he believes, which have come from his own experiences on his journey from an 18-year-old kid who started at the Newcastle Falcons and loved throwing the ball around and running around with his mates and loving the game to making his debut for England months later and becoming the deadly accurate kicker that manipulated teams with his pinpoint accuracy and that dropped goals for 3 points with ease like Stephen Curry shoots 3-pointers for the Golden State Warriors.  Yet he lost that love for the game and talks of how he suffered through 6 days of training just to get to game day at the height of his rugby career.

We get to talk about our time together at Toulon and how after 3 years of being injured, he again found his love for the game and how he also dealt with those feelings of anxiety and being all-consumed with his perfectionist tendencies that harmed earlier in his career.  he shares how he was able to overcome these and how he now incorporates these learnings into his coaching of the next wave of English talented 10'.

He's also taken his experiences and passion in the business he founded, No.1 Living.  Listen to how he has changed his perspective on how he views food and his diet.  How he has used all those experiences to create very successful health and well-being products and business

I took some very deep and powerful learnings from our chat and hope you do too.

I catch up with Luteru Ross Taylor.  He's sitting in another quarantine hotel, this time in India before the Black Caps test series, which starts this week.   He's a bit nervous as he hasn't hit a ball since he hit the winning runs against India in the World Test Championship in June, apart from some throw downs from his young son.

We chat about our stories of cricket and our connection to my hometown of Wainuiomata.  He tells me about why he chose cricket over other sports and what he thinks is the reason that he's had such a long and illustrious career.  

He lets me know the secret to facing the fastest bowlers in the world and shares what it's like and what it takes to be a successful batsman at the highest level.  

I learned a lot about the amount of mental energy and strength you need to be a top-flight cricket batsman in a game he states "you fail at more than you succeed".

Listen in to learn from a New Zealand Cricketing Great.

I got to catch up with Jerome  in between his busy schedule as new Defence and Breakdown Coach of the Toulouse Espoirs (Under 23’s) and Breakdown Coach of the reigning Top 14 Champions of French Rugby.

We discuss his learnings as a player and the comparison of his years with the Blues and his instant success at Toulouse.   He shares some background on some of the up and coming young players from his club that are standing out now on the international stage for France.

We chat about his decision to get into business, Mint Wear Underwear, with 2 of his best mates and he talks about his learnings and his skills that he has been able to transfer from his rugby career into the world of Business.

Good lessons and a good listen.  Join the moveMINT #mintman @mintwear.co

I got to know Rob Kearney while I was in Ireland for some promotional work with Guinness. I hung out at the office of sports agent, Dave McHugh, who had leased his office from Rob.  When I started my podcast I knew I wanted to speak to this man.

Rob lets us in on what it was like to be a part of the first Irish rugby team to beat the All Blacks, what it meant to him and the nation and what it will mean to those Irishmen who follow in his footsteps.

A proud Leinster rugby man who spent 15 years in the top-side, Rob also chats about his time with the Western Force in Perth, Australia for the 2021 rugby season.

Rob talks about how he has worked hard to start his successful business, Mason Alexander Recruitment. He tells us how he manages this, along with his other business ventures, all while still a professional athlete. 

Listen in!

I had the chance to chat with Stacey before she flew out with the Black Ferns on their end of year tour.  She shared the thrill of winning an Olympic Gold medal and Rugby World Cups with both 7's and 15's and also shared what she went through to get where she is today with the aroha and support from her whānau.

Stacey shared some insights into the successful culture of the Black Ferns 7's team, how instrumental departing coach Alan Bunting has been and what it will take for his replacement to transition into this new role.

I learn how she keeps on top of all her activities and how she puts her Bachelor of Health, Sport & Human Performance, Double Majoring in Sport and Management Communications and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business to good use.  

She also shares how and why she developed her own website and started up SFS, her hair accessories business.

Listen in to hear her inspiring story.

I got to know Lee Byrne when he made the trip from Wales to New Zealand to pay his respects at All Black Legend, Jerry Collins' funeral.  Lee and JC became close while teammates at Ospreys Rugby Club in Wales. We celebrated JC's life and gave him the send-off he deserved.  

Lee shares how he was "discovered" after playing a game of Rugby League and how that led to international stardom with Rugby Union.  He talks about his enjoyment for the game while playing in both Wales and France and also lets us in on some of his regrets and adversities he went through

After having to retire from professional sport due to a shoulder injury, Lee  talks about how he struggled to find his purpose in life and his eventual transition from rugby player to businessman.

Utilising the skills and networks that he made during his rugby career, Lee has carved out a new pathway in life, starting up his own business BridgePort360, a construction contracting and management service.

Listen in for some great learning!

I met Michael Bennet when he came to watch a Blues training session. He then stayed for another 3 hours and spoke to the players, staff and the CEO sharing his experiences.  It speaks volumes to the man he is and his strength for connections and wanting to know the story of others.

During our TEEM Talk he speaks about his love for New Zealand and its people.  He shares his favourite places and even finds some Louisiana fried chicken that compares well to his home state of  Louisiana, so he should know!

Listen in to hear his insights during his time in the NFL and what he has learned and observed that has served him well in his career as a sportsman and then into his life as a businessman and a family man.

A great catch-up and chat that I thoroughly enjoyed, learned so much from and I hope you will too! 

Jordan Hyland has done it the "old school" way in his words, in terms of his road to Super Rugby.  He moved cities to take his opportunities with The Blues and The Highlanders, got an apprenticeship as a drain-layer down South, and started his business Apex Recruitment with his wife Georgia up North.

One of his biggest "mistakes" was playing a game of footy, when he didn't need to when he was on the cusp of possibly making the NZ Schools team.

Hear how he has been dealing with COVID19 with his business as well as trying to out-run it with his Northland Taniwha rugby team.

This is the story all budding rugby players that don't make it straight from school into professional rugby should be listening to.

Make sure you do!

Proudly sponsored by Viktual+

Listen in as I chat to Dr Farah Palmer about her journey from Piopio College to Otago University to Associate Dean, Māori, at Massey University's Business School. 

We chat about her passions -  Māori rugby, women in rugby and community rugby.

We hear how she navigates the boardroom as Deputy Chair of  the New Zealand Rugby Board and as Chair of the Māori Rugby Board.

And we hear her recollection of her part in New Zealand's successful bid to host the Rugby World Cup 2022. 

I am very honoured to be able to chat to Ardie Savea about the kind of person and the vibe he wants to bring out to the world through his clothing brand.  He talks about his love of uplifting people and making an impact in their lives through  @asavclothing.